Once the weather is cooling off, you may be wondering about how you’ll make the most of your heating and cooling. After all, HVAC bills routinely contribute a large piece of your monthly electric bill. To try and find ways to lower their HVAC bill, some homeowners take a closer look at their thermostat. Is there a setting they should use to increase efficiency?

The majority of thermostats have a ‘Fan’ or ‘Fan On’ setting. But if the fan is running during a typical cycle, what does the fan setting offer for an HVAC system? This guide will help. We’ll share what exactly the fan setting is and whether you can use it to reduce costs during the summer or winter.

Should I Use My Thermostat’s Fan Setting?

For most thermostats, the fan setting indicates that the air handler’s blower fan keeps running. Some furnaces may continue to operate at a low level with this setting, but in most cases heating or cooling isn’t being produced. The ‘Auto’ setting, in contrast, will run the fan during a heating or cooling cycle and shut it off once the cycle is finished.

There are benefits and drawbacks to using the fan setting on your thermostat, and the ideal option {will|can|should]] depend on your personal comfort requirements.

Advantages to using the Fan/On setting:

  • You can keep the temperature throughout your home more balanced by permitting the fan to keep running.
  • Indoor air quality should improve because continuous airflow will keep passing airborne particles into the air filter.
  • A smaller number of start-stop cycles for the blower fan helps extend its life span. Because the air handler is usually a component of the furnace, this means you might avoid needing furnace repair.

Disadvantages to utilizing the Fan/On setting:

  • A continuous fan could raise your energy bills slightly.
  • Continuous airflow could clog your air filter in a shorter amount of time, increasing the frequency you should replace it.

{Choosing Between|Should My Thermostat Be on|Which Setting for My Thermostat? Fan or Auto in Summer/Winter

Through the summer, warm air may persist in unfinished spaces such as the attic or an attached garage. If you use the fan setting, your HVAC system can pull this warm air into the rest of your home, pushing the HVAC system to work harder to keep up with the set temperature. In severe heat, this could lead to needing AC repair more quickly as wear and tear increases.

The opposite can occur during the winter. Cooler spaces such as a basement will hold onto cooler air, which can eventually drift into the rest of your home. Keeping the fan on may draw more cold air upward, increasing the amount of heating you need to stay warm.

If you’re still trying to decide if you should use the fan/on setting, don’t forget that every home and family’s comfort needs will vary. Leaving the HVAC system’s fan on may work for you if:

Someone in your household suffers from allergies. Allergies and other respiratory conditions can be hard on the family. Leaving the fan on is more likely to improve indoor air quality, helping your family breathe easier.

Your home experiences hot and cold spots. Many homes wrestle with stubborn hot and cold spots that quickly evolve to a temperature different from the rest of the house. The fan setting might help lessen these changes by steadily refreshing each room’s ventilation.